We have a subtitle!
Updated: Nov 5
After a year bouncing ideas between my editor (Noah Eaker), agent (Betsy Lerner), and me, we hurled into a lightning round this week, including polling you followers on IG* we came down to two finalists. I approved both, but had a clear favorite.
Noah canvased within Harper Books (HarperCollins's flagship imprint), and this was the winner by a landslide, was my favorite and his:
The Secret Lives of Two Gay Soldiers Hiding in Plain Sight
I'd been circling in Plain Sight for a year now. Betsy finally worked it in with our other ideas, and changed the redundant Hidden Lives to Secret. Well done, Betsy.
I created a new temp cover just to show it, leaving the other behind. Hoping to see Harper's first stab at a cover soon.
But I've got work to do! Copy-edits back tomorrow (delayed).
*Thank you so much for all the people who chimed in with rankings of near-finalists and feedback on why.
Click for latest updates on my gay soldiers book.
Congratulations on settling the title—The Secret Lives of Two Gay Soldiers Hiding in Plain Sight has a much stronger, more intriguing ring than the earlier Hidden Lives version. It’s fascinating how much a single word changes the tone and promise of a nonfiction book, and it sounds like the editorial lightning round paid off. While waiting for more updates, I’ve been taking short breaks with browser horror games; if you want a quick distraction, this Five Nights at Freddy's 4 browser version is an easy no-download option. Best of luck with the cover and release timeline!
Congratulations on landing such a strong title—The Secret Lives of Two Gay Soldiers Hiding in Plain Sight has real shelf presence, and the story of Betsy tightening “Hidden” to “Secret” shows how much editorial polish matters. It’s also refreshing to hear how you, Noah, and Betsy narrowed the finalists and tested reactions rather than guessing. As a reader who enjoys ranking systems, I couldn’t help wondering how those title contenders would score; tools like RNGdle rarity tiers make exact percentile comparisons oddly addictive. Wishing the Harper Books team a smooth launch.
I’ve been replaying The Coffin of Andy and Leyley and trying to untangle the Burial and Decay routes without spoiling every choice for myself. This breakdown is genuinely useful because it separates the main endings from the secret ones and explains what actually triggers them. If you’re stuck on a route or just want to see how the character choices connect, the coffin of andy and leyley characters is a solid reference. It saved me a lot of guesswork.
Such a powerful and insightful piece, Dave! Your portrayal of the hardships and courage these soldiers experienced is deeply touching. It highlights how even in the most challenging circumstances, like the Embroidered Logo Beanies Maker, resilience shines through. Thank you for sharing their stories!
Muy buena explicación sobre la importancia de organizar las fechas de cada sorteo. Consultar un calendario de sorteos ayuda a evitar errores y a localizar la información necesaria con rapidez. Sería excelente que estos datos incluyeran enlaces a las páginas oficiales de cada entidad.